Series History: Tied 18-18. Rutgers beat Army 27-10 at West Point last season.

Matchup: Army comes in 4-2, Rutgers 3-2. The only common opponent is Tulane, but Rutgers looked like a much improved team last week, not a team that lost 17-14 to the Green Wave.

Rutgers will start Chas Dodd at quarterback against Army. It is imperative that the Black Knights get pressure on him and make him feel uncomfortable. The Rutgers offense has seemed to click with Dodd in, and Army needs to shake that up. They also need to be wary of Mohamed Sanu, a wide receiver who is one of the best athletes on the Rutgers team. He is 6-2, 218 pounds, and has speed. He also runs Rutgers wildcat formations and has the best arm on the team. Army will need to respect that when he is receiving the snap from center.

Just like every other week, expect Army to run early and often. They can move the ball on the Rutgers defense and I expect them to find success offensively. They matchup well with Rutgers and I expect Jared Hassin to have a big day.

Player(s) to Watch: The Army secondary. Watching Rutgers last week, I noticed their big, athletic receivers. Army will be at a disadvantage here in size and athleticism. The secondary will need to play one of their best game of the year against the Rutgers receivers and hope for a good pass rush.

Potential X-Factor: DE Josh McNary. Usually I reserve this spot for a less-heralded player, but this week McNary can be a huge difference-maker. The secondary will rely on the Army defensive line to create pressure against freshman quarterback Chas Dodd. I was not impressed with Rutgers offensive tackles last week and I think McNary can create some havoc in the backfield.

Prediction: I think this will be a game dominated by the Army rushing attack. Look for Army to chew up the clock and methodically move the ball against Rutgers. Rutgers will need to exploit Army through the air, but I do not think their offensive line is good enough to protect Dodd from McNary and the defensive pressure of Army. Army wins for the first time against Greg Schiano.

Army 23, Rutgers 13

About the AuthorSubscribe to author's RSS feed
Written by Donald Lappe
Senior at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Double Major in Media & Society and United States History. Also writing for TapouT Magazine and MMA Worldwide Magazine.